Instrumentation device piping assembly



Oct. 25, 1960 INSTRUMENTATION DEVICE PIPING ASSEMBLY Filed May 11. 1956INVENTOR STOCKER S. STURGEON AGENT United States lattit AINSTRUMENTATION DEVICE-PIPING ASSEMBLY Stocker S. Sturgeon, Foxboro,Mass., assignor to The Foxboro Company, Foxboro, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Filed May 11,1956, Ser. No. 584,371

1 Claim. (Cl. 28555) This invention relates to the assembly ofinstrumentation devices with respect to pipe lines with which suchdevices are operatively associated,

Instrumentation devices of this nature include, for example, valves,pressure sensing devices, and as a specific illustration herein, theflow sensing .unit of an electromagnetic flowmeter. f 1

Where indicating, recording, or control instruments are, used withrespect to. pipe lines, some form of continu; ance of the pipe line isusually embodied in the instrument arrangement, and the insertion ofthis pipe line continuance into the pipeline itself poses problems ofalignment, sealing with respect to the contents of the pipe line,initial assembly, and disassembly for purposes of service orreplacement. 1 r

In the past such embodiments have been established as portions of thepipe lines with the above-mentioned difficulties particularlyevidentwhen a section of the pipe line has to be removed and theinstrument device substi tuted therefor between the two pipe line endsthus established.

This invention provides means for overcoming the prior artdifi-lculties, in that when an instrumentation device is to beincorporated into a pipe line, adjustable alignment means is provided,along with a positive sealing arrangement and means for simple assemblyand disassembly.

With respect to the illustrative example herein of an electromagneticflow sensing unit, this invention provides adjustable alignment means,means for sealing an inner pipe liner, and means for endwise assemblyand disas sembly of a unitary electromagnetic coil unit with respect toa length of pipe.

This invention has the further advantage of using special forms ofexpensive pipe material essentially only where the special character ofsuch pipe material is needed.

It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide a new andimproved instrumentation device piping assembly. I

Another object is to provide a new and improved electromagnetic flowsensing unit piping assembly.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part apparentand in part pointed out hereinafter and in the accompanying drawings,wherein: I

Figure I is a showing, in partial section, of an electromagneticflowmeter sensing unit assembly as an illustrative embodiment of thisinvention; v

Figure II is a showing of the pipe and end flange construction of theassembly of Figure I, with an electromagnetic coil assembly thereon;

' Figure III is a cross-section of they arrangement of Figure II, takenon line III-III in Figure H, and illustrating the magnetic coil unitthereon; and I 1 Figure IV is a face-view of either of the pipe endflange rings of Figure II, in the form of a piping assembly Theillustrative embodiment of this invention as shown 2,957,710 PatentedOct. 25, 1960 in the drawings is concerned with the assembly of aninstrumentation device in the form of an electromagnetic flow sensingunit 10 mounted on a length of pipe 11 and inserted in a pipe line 12with the pipe length 11 arranged as a continuance of the pipe line 12.

The electromagnetic flow sensing unit 10 operates on Faradays law ofelectromagnetic induction in that the voltage induced in a conductor ofgiven length, moving through a magnetic field, is proportional to thevelocity of the conductor. An electromagnetic coil assembly 13 isprovided for establishing an electromagnetic field within the pipelength 11. This coil assembly 13, as illustrated in Figures I and III,is generally a cylindrical sleeve formed of two major windings 14 and15, each in generally oval, draped form, placed edge to edge and beltedby an electromagnetic core strap 16 (Figure HI) with the whole assembly13 mounted over the pipe length 11 as an outer sleeve with respectthereto. The output of the sensing unit 10 is a voltage taken from poles(not shown) which are open to the interior of the pipe length 11.

In order to most effectively locate and distribute the most desirableconcentrations of the electromagnetic field Within the pipe length 11,the coil assembly 13 is formed with an inner diameter substantiallygreater than the outer diameter of the pipe length 11, and a coilassembly supporting arrangement is provided in the form of U-channelbrackets 17 and 18, secured to the pipe length 11, in diametricopposition to each other, and laid length: wise of the pipe length 11with the U openings faced against the outer wall of the pipe length 11.The coil windings 1'4 and 15 are bolted to the brackets 17 and 18 bymeans of bolts 19 and 20, and straps 21 and 22. For the generalprotection of the coil assembly, a split cover 23 (Figure I), isprovided therefor, formed and split into halves like a walnut shell withend openings 24 fitting over the pipe length 11 and with suitableO-rings 25 within the openings 24, mounted in the ends of the cover 23and bearing on the pipe length 11 to seal out dirt and moisture from thecoil assembly 13. The halves of the cover 23 are joined by bolts 26 atthe meeting edges of the cover halves. Suitable electrical leads to thecoil assembly 13 and from the electrical poles (not shown) may be takenthrough the sensing unit housing 23 through an apertured v boss 27(Figure I) as indicated by the arrow 28.

The pipe length 11, and the channel brackets 17 and 18, since they arelargely encompassed by the electromagnetic coil assembly 13, must be ofnon-magnetic material such as one of the non-magnetic 300 series ofstainless steel, in order not to interfere with the suitableestablishment of a magnetic field within the pipe length 11 or with themeasurements taken with respect thereto. The sensing unit housing 23 maybe of any desired material, for example aluminum, since it lies outsideof the coil assembly 13 and will not undesirably affect theelectromagnetic field within the pipe length 11.

Within the tube, a lining sleeve 29 is provided, to preventshort-circuiting of the generated voltage. This sleeve may be formed ofany of the conventional electrical insulating materials of the nature ofrubber, plastic or the like, with preference given to material which maybe sprayed on and which is impervious to the chemical and physicalaction of the liquid which is to flow through the pipe length 11 for aparticular application of the device of this invention. Special endformations of the liner sleeve 29 are provided, with respect to the endsof the pipe length 11, as will be explained hereinafter.

An important feature of the combination of this invention is thestructure and arrangement with respect to the ends of the pipe length11, inrelation to the mount,- ing and dismounting of the coil assembly13 on the pipe length 11, in relation to the end arrangement of theinner lining sleeve 29, and in relation to the connection of theinstrumentation device to the pipe line 12.

The pipe length 11 is a one-piece structure, of essentially uniformthickness and diameter throughout its length. A common practice injoining one pipe length to another is to weld flanges on the ends of thepipes and to thereafter join the flanges. This practice provides goodabutting end surfaces for the pipes being joined, and avoids sealingproblems with respect to threaded joints of flange and pipe in the areaof abutment of the pipe ends. In the case of the illustrative example ofthis invention, however, and in other similar instrument assemblies, itis diflicult to first assemble the coil assembly 13 over the end of thepipe length 11 and thereafter to weld a flange on the end of the pipelength 11 without damaging the coil assembly during the welding process.In order to be properly effective and of reasonable mechanicalarrangement, the inner diameter of the coil assembly 13 must besubstantially less than the outer diameter of a suitable end flange forthe pipe length 11. Further, the coil assembly 13 is a unitaryarrangement, and splitting this assembly for the purpose of two-partassembly in the manner of the cover 23 would substantially undesirablyaffect the electrical characteristics of the coil assembly 13. Thus thecoil assembly 13 must be mounted over an end of the pipe length 11, andany welding operation must be done before such mounting.

In order to accomplish the above purpose, and at the sametime providethedesirable pipe end abutting face and flange connections, the ends of thepipe length 11 are provided with metal flange collars 30. These collarsare welded to the pipe length 11 flush with the ends thereof so that theend surfaces of the pipe length 11 and the outer end surfaces of thecollars 30 form single annular end surfaces for the instrumentationassembly to use in abutting assembly with the ends of the pipe line 12.The radial thickness of the collars 30 is essentially equal to theradial depth of the support channels 17 and 18 as assembled, so that thecoil assembly 13, having an inside diameter suflicient to encompass thepipe length 11 and the support channels 17 and 18 thereon, may bemounted on the pipe length 11 over an end thereof, after the collar 30has been welded to the pipe length 11. Thus the coil assembly 13 is notendangered by the welding of the collars 30 to the pipe length 11.

As previously mentioned, the insulating lining sleeve 29 is providedwith special end formations, that is, the lining is continuous, frominside the pipe length 11, in right angled formations which cover theend faces of the pipe length 11 and the end faces of the collars 30.Thus the ends of the lining sleeve 29 are clamped between the endflanges of the pipe line 12 and the single end faces each formed by acombination of an annular end of the pipe length 11 and the annularouter end of the associated collar 30. This arrangement not only sealsoff the pipe joining abutments but avoids the presentation of a liningend edge to any part of a flow within the pipes which could result inthe loosening or detachment of the lining sleeve 29.

T he final factor of the combination of this invention is an annular,ordinary metal, ring flange 31 which is threadedly mounted on theperiphery of each of the flange collars 30. The flange 31 is so formedas to combine with its associated collar 30 to provide a flangecombination which may be at least equal in dimension and strength to theconventional unitary flange of the prior art. However, the ring flange(31) arrangement of this invention provides the advantage that it may beturned back on the collar 30 until end abutment of the pipes (12, 11)leaves a take-up space between the end flange of the pipe line 12 andthe ring flange 31. Thus assembly bolts 32 may be used to draw the pipeend arrangements together in strong, sealing abutments, without abuttingthe end flanges of the pipe line 12 and the ring flanges 31.

The ring flanges 31 provide a further particular advantage in that theymay be rotated for easy alignment of bolt holes rather than the priorart cumbersome and undesirable method of rotating the entire assembly.The device of this invention therefor lends itself to the ready assemblyand disassembly of instrumentation combinations with respect to pipelines, as a real advantage in experimental procedures for frequentassembly and disassembly, in devices where it may be important for theinstrumentation always to be exactly radially positioned, and in theexpedition of ordinary initial and service assembly and disassembly,-particularly where the pipe sizes are substantial.

It should be noted that an appreciable cost saving is made possiblesince only the pipe length 11 and the channel brackets 17 and 18 arenecessarily made of expensive stainless steel.

This invention, therefore, provides a new and improved instrumentationdevice piping assembly.

- As many embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as changesmay be made in the embodiments set forth above, without departing fromthe scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matterhereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I'claim:

A metal pipe coupling assembly wherein a pair of pipe ends are joinedthrough a pipe end coupling relation between a radially large fixedflange and a radially small fixed flange squeezing the flared end of apipe liner between a radially inner portion only of the large fixedflange and a combination of the small fixed flange and the end face ofthe pipe end on which the small flange is fixed, wherein a ring flangeis mountable over the pipe end on which the small flange is fixed andthreaded for mounting on and movement along the small flange to providea combination of a two-part flange unit on one pipe end and a one-partflange unit on the other pipe end, wherein an air gap is establishedbetween the ring flange and the radially outer portion of the largefixed flange, and wherein connection bolts join the ring flange and thelarge fixed flange through the air gap to secure the said couplingrelation, said pipe coupling assembly thus comprising, in combination, apair of equal size, aligned pipe ends with equal and uniform diametersand wall thicknesses throughout, one of said pipe ends being formed ofnon-magnetic stainless steel, a radially small fixed flange with uniformthickness and uniform radial dimension and welded to the radially outerface of said one ofsaid pipe ends in end flush relation with the end ofsaid one of said pipe ends and presenting a joint end face therewith ina single radial plane, said small fixed flange being threaded on itsradially outer face concentrically with said one of said pipe ends, amovable ring flange with uniform thickness and uniform radial dimensionmountable over said one of said pipe ends and rotatably mounted on saidsmall fixed flange in interthreaded relation therewith for adjustmentmovemerit axially along 'saidone of said pipe ends to a point inwardlyspaced from the end face of said one of said pipe ends, with connectionbolt openings through said movable ring flange, a radially large, fixedflange welded to the outer face of the other of said pipe ends andpresenting an end face in a single radial plane, the radial extent "ofsaid large fixed flange equalling the combination of the radialextentsof said small fixed flange and said movable ring on said one of saidpipe ends, plus the full wall thickness of *said one of said pipe ends,said radially large flange having unifotm thickness and uniform radialdimension except for a step portion included in its said radial extentand providing a single radial plane end facing on said other of saidpipe ends, with said step portion having an inner ring face in flushrelation with the inner face of said other of said pipe ends, connectionbolt openings through said fixed, radially large flange, an end flaredone piece plastic sleeve liner in said one of said pipe ends with saidflared end of said liner extending radially outward between saidradially small fixed flange and said radially large fixed flange andterminating at the outer diameter of said radially small fixed flange,whereby an air gap is established between said rotatable ring flange andthe radially outer portion of said radially large fixed flange with saidair gap being enlarged when said rotatable ring flange is moved inwardlyalong said outer face thread of said one of said pipe ends, with thepipe end coupling relation of said assembly accomplished by squeezingsaid liner flared end between said radially large, fixed ring flange andthe single radial plane surface provided by the end flush combination ofthe end face of said one of said pipe ends and the lengthwise outer endface of said small fixed flange thereon, said air gap providing takeupspace for 20 increasing the pressure of said coupling relation, andconnector bolts through said bolt openings for accomplishing said takeupand for maintaining said coupling relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS462,894 Dinsmore Nov. 10, 1891 800,802 'Franquist Oct. 3, 1905 807,662Crowther Dec. 19, 1905 870,557 Haus Nov. 12, 1907 1,796,159 Pallady Mar.10, 1931 1,817,289 Benz Aug. 4, 1931 2,031,849 OLeary Feb. 25, 19362,290,333 Johnson July 21, 1942 2,446,481 Letterman Aug. 3, 19482,568,414 Russ Sept. 18, 1951 2,608,501 Kimble Aug. 26, 1952 2,724,268Raynsford Nov. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 591,611 Great Britain Aug. 22,1947 656,032 Great Britain Aug. 8, 1951 526,147 Belgium Aug. 2, 1954

